Relocation
by awillowdeeplyscarred
Summary: Everyone is entitled to at least one summer fling in their lifetime. But could this be more than just a fling? Troypay. Review please.
1. Chapter 1: Bad Memories

**Author's Note: **I intend to keep this story going all summer long, as it's about summer. Please review! And check out Baby-M-xo's stories, she came up with how they meet and Sami 8D, who helped me with various bits and pieces.

**Disclaimer: **I only own stuff you don't recognize.

**NOTE: **There is no High School Musical gang in this story. I mean, like, they don't know each other. Just wanted to make that clear.

**Relocation**

**Chapter 1: Bad Memories**

**By musiclover94**

"Are you _sure _you're not bringing your cell phone?" Enchante Evans asked her only daughter, a worried expression creasing her face.

"I'm sure, mom," Sharpay repeated, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"But what if something terrible happens?" she asked, trying to change her child's mind.

"I'm _sure _they have pay phone in Riviera Maya." Sharpay said in a 'duh' tone.

"But why do you have to go so far away?" her mother pleaded.

"Places around here, they hold too many bad memories." Sharpay paused to readjust her bag again, but really thinking of the not-so good memories with her ex-boyfriend, Chad Danforth.

_Flashback_

Sharpay was walking to her locker after school let out. Mrs. Darbus had wanted a word on information concerning the Drama Club, which she was President of. She stepped over countless discarded school supplies the janitors had yet to throw away, old pieces of loose leaf, broken pencils and pens, the like. She was holding a card to give to her boyfriend Chad, as it was their 1-year anniversary. She turned a corner and almost fell over flat on her perfectly made up face, her heels skidding on the scuffed floor.

Chad was leaning up against a red locker, heavily making out with the new girl, Gabriella Montez. They were centimeters away from each other, his hand in her thick, dark, wavy hair, her hands around his neck.

The card fell out of Sharpay's suddenly weak hand, fluttering to the ground and collecting with the other debris, something that was unwanted.

Chad broke apart from Gabriella probably sensing eyes on him. When he saw his girlfriend standing there, he quickly took several steps away from a lovesick Gabriella. He walked calmly toward the blonde, who took several disgusted steps backward and, ironically, stepping over a paper heart someone had torn in half.

"Shar, I can explain…"

Sharpay laughed shortly, disguising the brimming tears she had, refusing to look at Chad. "You can explain? _You _were kissing Miss Montez, _she _wasn't kissing _you_." Chad opened and closed his mouth several times, but no useless words came out.

"Save it, Danforth. We don't need any more carbon dioxide in the air. We're over." She turned on her heel and walked in the direction that she came in from, leaving a dumbfounded Chad in her wake.

_End Flashback_

"Flight 29 to Riviera Maya now boarding," a cool female voice said smoothly over the speakers.

"That's my flight. See you at the end of the summer." Sharpay said to her mom, hugging her quickly. She again readjusted her bag, the only thing she had brought with her. She walked to the boarding door. As she handed her ticket to the attendant, she turned around and waved at her mom one last time. She waved back, looking sad.

She made her way through the narrow aisle on the airplane, having to apologize numerous times for bumping into people. At long last, she found her seat K2 and sat down gratefully, stowing her bag next to her and pulling out a copy of Essence of the Theatre.

"Sorry…excuse me…sorry…"She heard a voice coming closer and closer to her, sounding as apologetic as she had sounded. Sharpay looked up from the latest details about the Tony Awards. A teenage boy probably around her age was making his way to his seat. In her direction. He had kind of shaggy, brown hair and blue-gray eyes.

"Some trouble?" she asked in a friendly way to him.

"Yeah. These aisles are really small. Did you have trouble?" he asked, taking a seat right next to her. Sharpay silently celebrated this fact.

"Tons. I bet people were just about ready to kick me off the plane." Sharpay smiled at him. He was actually pretty cute. As she thought this, she looked down shamefully. She couldn't get caught up in another romance now, not after just breaking up with Chad.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Sharpay Evans. You?"

"Troy Bolton. What are you going to Mexico for?" he asked.

Sharpay tried to find the right words and finally said, "Romance." After hearing what she said, she quickly added, "Romance issues, I mean."

"Oh," Troy said, sounding a little disappointed.

"What about you? Why are _you _going to Mexico?" She turned toward him.

"Visiting my cousins, for the whole summer. Should be a lot of fun." He smiled at the thought.

"It's just that…I just had a really bad breakup with my boyfriend a couple days ago, and I need to relocate, see some new terrain, you know?" She kept on thinking while she was saying this _he's a complete stranger; why am I telling him this?! _But there was just something about him that made her say it.

"I see what you mean," he said quietly.

The plane gave an almighty rumble and started to wheel down the lane, gradually loosing wheels until it was in the air, high above Albuquerque, the life she was leaving behind for the summer.

"Where do you do to school?" she asked.

"Jasper High. You?"

"East High," she said, not smiling much at the name.

Troy noticed the magazine lying opened in Sharpay's lap. "Big on theatre, are you?" he teased, smiling at her.

"Very. Been in every musical since kindergarten," she said proudly.

"I've dabbled in musical theatre too," he said offhandedly.

"You _have, _have you?" Sharpay was very interested now. This guy seemed intriguing, and exactly her type.

"Well, sort of. It was on accident," he caught sight of Sharpay's disbelieving expression and continued with a tale of him being all about basketball and then he met this girl on Christmas vacation (Sharpay frowned at this part and felt slightly jealous of that girl) and sang with her. Once returning to school, they sang the audition piece, not knowing the director was hiding behind sight. They had callbacks! He, Troy was getting pressured to drop the callbacks and only focus on basketball, but he did the callbacks anyway. He won the championship and was cast the part of Arnold in Twinkle Towne along with the girl. **(A/N: Sound familiar? :D)**

"What was the girl's name?"

"Gabriella."

Sharpay said nothing about this fact, but was considerably quieter the rest of the plane ride. She stopped once to look out the window, feeling slightly foolish, like she was six again and looking out a plane window at all the dots below.

Troy reached over and wrote his cell phone number in a margin of the magazine's Table of Contents, where he was sure she would find it. He had a good feeling about this girl.

"We will be landing in Cancun International Airport in five minutes," a voice said over the intercom.

The giant plane began to slowly lower from the sky onto a runway. It landed with a small _bump. _

Troy and Sharpay exited through the same portal, but headed off in different directions. But Riviera Maya was a small city, and their paths would entwine once again.

**Author's Note: **Ugh, didn't like the ending, but you guys are judges! Please review and check out Baby-M-xo and Sami 8D's stories, they helped me a lot with this chapter. And I have a feeling that this story is going to feature a lot of Cascada music. Just a heads up. Please review!

**Help?: **I have no ideas for the next chapter of 100 Years to Live, so if _you _do, please, please _please_ send them to me in a PM or a review. Thanks! I will credit you.


	2. Chapter 2: Not What I Thought You Were

**Author's Note: **I'm back with this. Please review! Many thanks to Sami 8D, who came up with ideas for this chapter.

**Disclaimer: **I only own the plot and stuff you don't recognize.

**Relocation**

**Chapter 2: You Are Not What I Thought You Were**

**By musiclover94**

_Last Chapter…_

"We will be landing in Cancun International Airport in five minutes," a voice said over the intercom.

The giant plane began to slowly lower from the sky onto a runway. It landed with a small _bump. _

Troy and Sharpay exited through the same portal, but headed off in different directions. But Riviera Maya was a small city, and their paths would entwine once again.

--

Sharpay looked around her hotel room window sadly, even though there was a beautiful sunset setting over the ocean. She knew this was the place to be, away from Albuquerque and all the heartache she felt with Chad. But another part of her wanted to get as far away from Riviera Maya as possible. It was obvious that Troy liked her, but Sharpay was not ready for a new man at the moment. She had only broken things off with Chad a couple days ago, and she thought she would be with him forever. She couldn't rush into things with Troy. But at the thought of Troy, she began to sing…

_I knew it from the start  
From the first day that we met  
I knew to take your hand  
Was something I would not regret_

_Since then I found the girl inside  
That I wanted to be  
I slowly notice what he means to me  
He's all that_

_He's all that I wanted  
He's all that I needed  
He is all that I have  
My baby, he's all that…_

Sharpay shook herself. Troy was not all that, he was just a complete stranger she met on a plane going to Mexico. He was just trying to meddle with her head, nothing more. It must be the summer air in Mexico that made her sing. She opened the copy of Essence of the Theatre and something on the Table of Contents caught her eye, like a fish on a hook, though a lot less painful. In black ink, a phone number and Troy's name was scrawled on the page. She looked at it for several moments, thinking hard. He was definatly trying to mess with her head, and this was the first step. She quickly flipped the page to something about Wicked closing on January 25th and put all thoughts of Troy out of her mind. But his blue-gray eyes kept floating back into her head. She shook her head once again, puzzled about why she was thinking if this man so much. She put on some sandels and walked out of her hotel room, locking the door with a click behind her. The hotel hallway looked as all hotel hallways look, cream colored walls with various watercolor paintings on them, the smell of chlorine wafting from the pool doors.

She walked down the High Street, attempting to clear her head, but yielding unsucessful results. All along the cobblestone road's sides, street vendors were selling trinkits, like hand made dolls or Mexican jewlerly. Some carts had delecious smells coming from them, a blend of sugar and spices that almost brought the blonde in to them. But she fought back her urge and continued to walk.

"Layla, don't cry," Troy said, putting an arm around his cousin and pulling her close, where she continued to sob into his shoulder. They were in a little square off the main road.

"B-but her broke up with me!" she wailed.

"You'll find someone better in no time, I promise," he said reassuringly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and hugging her.

Sharpay was just in a little square, just off the High Street when she stopped dead at the sight of Troy and a female companion. He was hugging her, so they must be going out. A huge lump began to form in her throat and she looked at the couple. The blue-gray connected with the brown for a moment. Sharpay turned on her heel and stumbled back to her hotel though the High Street, supressed tears blocking her vision. She heard Troy say from behind her, "Sharpay! Wait!" but she didn't turn around. She refused to be treated that way again.

She opened her hotel room door and finally let the tears fall thick and fast on the green carpet. She went to her bed and sat there for a good long while, tears dripping down her nose, thinking. Pull yourself together, Sharpay, he's not worth it! But he seemed so sweet, he gave me his phone number…But he's just a good-for-nothing two-timer if he gave you his number and is in a relationship already…He's nothing like I thought…

She snatched the magazine from the side table and turned to the Table of Contents. She saw Troy's number scrawled on it. She ripped out that section of the page, got up shakily and went to the bathroom attached to her suite. She dropped the piece of paper in the toilet and pushed the handle down. Seeing the paper dissapear gave her a self-satisfactory feeling. She plopped down on her comforter and flipped on the TV. There was some romantic soap oprea on, but it wasn't like most soap opreas. The two characers seemed madly in love, both on screen and off. She turned it off, and as a fresh wave of tears started to fall she sang…

_If I can only see  
That your love for me is not forever  
Then I will always be free  
From these chains of love you bind me to  
Oh baby baby please  
Wont you save your kisses for another  
'cause I won't be a fool  
For the love you promise  
But won't deliver_

_I'm just a simple girl  
Who is hooked to your sweet charm  
But the love you promise will never be here in my arms_

_Oh baby baby please  
Wont you leave me all alone now honey  
Here's my one last kiss  
If you can't make up your mind now it's good bye_

_I'm just a simple girl  
Who is hooked to your sweet charm  
But the love you promise will never be here in my arms  
(never be here in my arms)_

**Author's Note: **The first song is He's All That by Cascada and the second one is Love U Promised by Cascada. Please review and check out Sami 8D's stories, she helped me a lot with this chapter. And checking out my new story, Flying With a Broken Wing would be greatly appriceated. Thanks! Review.


	3. Chapter 3:Last Person on Earth

**Author's Note:** Please review!

**Disclaimer:** I only own the plot and stuff you don't recognize.

**Relocation**

**Chapter 3: Last Person on Earth**

**By musiclover94**

_Last Chapter…_

She plopped down on her comforter and flipped on the TV. There was some romantic soap opera on, but it wasn't like most soap operas. The two characters seemed madly in love, both on screen and off. She turned it off, and as a fresh wave of tears started to fall she sang…LOVE U PROMISED LYRICS

--

Even with her eyes closed, Sharpay could sense the early morning rays peeking in through the window placed strategically right above her head. Sharpay groggily rubbed her eyes. Even horrible morning people couldn't stay asleep through that. She put her feet through fuzzy pink slippers and went to make herself something to eat. She found some oatmeal mix in a corner of her bag, no doubt put there by her mother.

She rolled her eyes, found a bowl in a cabinet in the little attached kitchen, and put the bowl and mix in the microwave. As it started to spin under the waves, there was a knock on her door. Surprised by a call so early in the morning, but thinking it was just the hotel maid; she didn't look through the peephole and her early-morning greeting was in the form of Troy, standing in front of her fake wood door on the green carpet and looking sad and confused.

She was just about to shut the door in his face when he put a sturdy hand on the paneling, resisting her force against him.

"What do you want?" she asked, shooting daggers at him.

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Yesterday, at the market."

"What is there to say? You obviously have a girlfriend, and you're just another two-timer, since you gave me your number.." She drifted off angrily, glaring at him.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Sharpay," he said, leaning against the door. Sharpay rolled her eyes at him.

"Then who was that girl with you?" she asked, convinced that she had caught her now.

Troy laughed. "That's my cousin, Layla!"

"How can you prove that?" Sharpay narrowed her eyes.

_This woman is a piece of work, _Troy thought, and then said patiently, "I gave you my phone number, and if Lalya _was _my girlfriend, I would be two-timing. Do I _look _like a two-timer to you?"

"You can't tell if someone's a cheater by looking at their appearance." She almost added, _Chad didn't look like a cheater, and look at what happened!_

Troy was silent for several moments before he said, in a voice of forced calm, "Can I come inside?"

Sharpay looked at him incredulously, her actions speaking for her.

"Okay, I understand that. But I just wanted to say something."

"Spit it out," she said scornfully.

"I gave you my phone number because…I like you. A lot."

Sharpay broke her gaze on Troy. She didn't want to admit that she, too, was falling for him. "I flushed it down the toilet. Your number, I mean." She still refused to look at him.

"Well, then…" he magically got out a pen and a piece of scrap paper from his jeans pocket and wrote the number again, "Here." He handed her the paper fragment. She took it grudgingly.

"See you around, then," he said and turned around and left. Sharpay's eyes followed him for a moment, but then she came to her senses and closed the door. She looked down at the number on the paper for a few minutes, secretly soaking in his handwriting.

She retrieved her phone and stored it in the Contacts, but as she did so, she reminded herself to only use it in certain circumstances, for example, if she were stranded on a deserted island and Troy was the last person on Earth.

Then she would call him.

Or maybe sooner.

**Author's Note: **Weird ending, I know. But please review and look at my semi-new story, Flying With a Broken Wing, it's lacking in reviews ;). REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4: Sparks

**Author's Note:** Please review!

**Disclaimer:** I only own the plot.

**Relocation**

**Chapter 4: Sparks**

**By musiclover94**

_Last Chapter…_

She retrieved her phone and stored it in the Contacts, but as she did so, she reminded herself to only use it in certain circumstances, for example, if she were stranded on a deserted island and Troy was the last person on Earth. Then she would call him. Or maybe sooner.

--

The sun was just setting over the mountains and Sharpay was sitting in her hotel room glumly. The tantalizing smell of burritos wafted in from the partially open window, which was also letting in a perfect summer night breeze. The only sound was the mounted wall clock ticking loudly in the silence.

Sharpay was at the kitchen table, staring down at her phone. She had been at the post for over an hour, trying to pluck up the courage to call Troy. One part of her brain was saying, _He's just messing with you,_ while another, slightly larger part was saying, _He was really nice, and seemed sincere. You'll never know if you don't try! _

As she thought over the latter once again, her hand lunged for her phone and she flipped it open. She scanned her Contacts on the hotel phone. It was a really fancy one that you could add contacts to, and then they got deleted when you leave.

She finally located his number and pressed the Call button, holding the device to her ear, trying to breathe.

"Hello?" Troy asked after three rings. Sharpay grimaced, regretting the call, but she couldn't just hang up, he would call back in a millisecond.

"Hi, it's Sharpay," she said awkwardly, her eyes closed in humiliation.

"Hi! What's up?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested. She could hear many voices behind his, some sounding very young and others very old.

"I just thought I'd call you, I've been staring at the hotel phone for ages, getting the courage to do it," she said, unaware of the words issuing from her mouth. When she realized what she had said, she covered her mouth with her open hand, even though he couldn't see her. She tried to cover up her mess up by adding, "What're all those voices in the background?"

"Oh, those are my cousin's and my aunt's and uncle's. They're having this big party tonight for some reason," he said with a hint of laughter.

"That's cool," she said, relieved that he hadn't brought her fluke up.

"Maybe. They're all hounding me about college. Not fun stuff, I might add."

"Where are you going?" she asked, curious.

"I haven't decided yet, but I hot acceptance letters from Bentley, Julliard, and U of A."

_Please don't pick Julliard, please please please, that's where I'm going…_she said inside her head. "Why did you apply to Julliard?" she really was curious, "You didn't seem like that arts type to me."

"Oh, yeah. Well, after that whole musical thing, my drama teacher sent in a few good words to the dean," he said easily. Sharpay's eyebrows rose.

"That's quite something," she said, impressed, "You must really sing well."

"Nah, not really. Like I told you, it was kind of an accident, the whole Twinkle Towne thing," he said modestly.

"Twinkle Towne?" Sharpay could barely suppress a laugh.

"I know, right?" Troy laughed.

Sharpay smiled and laughed as well. It surprised her how easily Troy could make her happy.

"So, done anything fun in Mexico yet?" he prompted when she didn't say anything.

"No, not really. I just came here to clear my head, from all my troubles back home. It hasn't worked yet."

Troy paused for a moment, thinking. Then, he said, "Meet me at the Topaz Park, the one right across the street from the hotel you're at."

Sharpay was surprised by this preposition, but she said oh-so-smoothly (not), "What?"

"Meet me at the park across the street in five minutes?" He wasn't pressuring her. It was an open-ended question.

She hesitated, but then said, "Okay. See you then."

"See you." He hung up.

Sharpay dropped her phone lightly on the table and went to the sink and seized her beauty supplies. She grabbed a sponge and scrubbed vigorously on her face, removing the mask, making herself look as unappealing as possible. As she did so, she repeated, _It's only because I have nothing better to do _reassuringly in her head. Because that was the truth. Right?

Troy looked around at the four neat benches surrounding him and the red brick beneath him. The sun was still setting, but it was almost gone. He could already see some early night stars. He heard footsteps behind him and he turned on the spot. Before him was Sharpay, looking more beautiful than ever.

"What do you want?" she asked roughly, not bothering to say hello.

"On the phone, you said 'I just came here to clear my head, from all my troubles back home. It hasn't worked yet'. And it's obvious that you need some help or this summer isn't going to be very enjoyable. And that's why you came here, to Riviera Maya, right? To clear you head and relocate, have a good summer. So here I am, available to help." He spread his arms out to emphasize his place on the Earth.

Sharpay backed away, eyeing him oddly. "I don't need help, I'm fine." Lie. She had cried herself to sleep on several recent occasions. She turned to leave, tears almost boiling over, when a strong, sure hand gently caught her arm. She turned around and saw Troy, looking at her worridly.

"You're not okay, I can tell." He was gazing into her eyes. She didn't return the favor.

"How can you tell?" she asked thickly, a few tears escaping her brown eyes.

"Well, for one thing, you're crying right now," he gently turned her around completely, so they were face to face.

Sharpay wiped the droplets from her face angrily. She hated when her emotions got the better of her. "I am not crying."

"You were," he said grimly.

"What do you _want _from me?" she demanded hysterically, keeping another flood at bay.

"I want to know everything about you. I want to help you." On the last sentence, he lifted her head up gently with a few of his fingers, so he was facing her. She turned her head the other way, some angry tears spilling.

"Don't you have plans?" she asked angrily, still looking at the brick-covered ground.

"Yes, but they aren't important at the moment," he said, his voice low.

"I don't need your help, and I don't want it. I just need some alone time." She turned to leave the park, regretting coming there.

"Sharpay, you've had a week of alone time. You can't hide forever." He turned her gently around again. "You can trust me." He looked deep into her eyes again. They captivated her before she had time to look away. Something about his eyes made her loosen her now-tense arms and say, "Okay," and sink into a bench.

"Tell me everything," he said simply, still fixing her with his eyes.

"My name is Sharpay Evans. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I'm eighteen years old."

"There's more than that." His eyes worked their magic again, recaptivating her.

"I go to East High School and I've been in 22 performing arts productions."

"Why did you travel so far, here to Mexico?" he asked, gazing at her.

"That's…none of your business," she said quickly.

"It is, if I'm going to help you." He almost reached out for her hand, but restrained himself. He had to keep his affections for the life-weary, but intriguing blonde to himself, until the time was right.

"As I told you, I had a bad breakup back in Albuquerque."

"There's more to the story."

"How can you tell?" she asked, betraying herself.

"Your eyes betray what you're trying to hide," he said after a moment.

Sharpay broke her gaze with him, and attempted to sort though her thoughts. She finally said slowly, "I wouldn't in a million years think I would date Chad Danforth. He was The Supreme Jock of the school, you know the type. Really arrogant and thought everyone else was not cool enough to talk to him, or even _look _at him. He especially looked down upon the theatre people, like me. Everyone at East High thinks of me as this Ice Queen just because I'm an actress and basically nothing else. How do you get a ice queen from _that?_"

"I have no idea," he said honestly.

"But then, we were forced together to work on this project in Health, about healthy relationships. Right off the bat, we were fighting all the time about the littlest details. But then, I don't really even know, we just sort of clicked and then," she snapped, "we started dating and everything was good, until…" She stopped and looked at the wooden bench, letting a few tears cascade down her makeup-free cheeks and down her neck.

Without realizing what he was doing, like his arms had a mind of their own, he wrapped his arms around her quaking shoulder and just held her as she silently sobbed.

"He…he was m-m-making out with this n-new girl! On out an-n-niversary!" she wailed, tears soaking into Troy's shirt.

"So he dumped you, right there?"

"No," she sniffled, "_I _dumped _him_. I'm not going to be one of those girls who are so desperate for love and attention they still go out with a known two-timer!"

After a few minutes, Sharpay's tears dwindled and she slowly lifted her head from Troy's chest. He saw that her face had turned a blotchy red and her hair was all mussed up.

"You probably think I'm this huge weirdo freak," she said and hiccupped, looking down at her hands.

"I don't think you're a freak, Sharpay," he answered quietly.

"Troy, I didn't come to Riviera Maya to look for love." She looked at him seriously.

"I understand," he said solemnly. He would give anything in the world to make that statement false. He hadn't given up yet, though.

"I haven't heard about _your _past, though," she said, looking at him less seriously.

"Want to hear it? It's pretty boring." He smiled crookedly.

"Yeah, but let's move around a bit." She smiled, the tears gone. She seized his hand and pulled him up off the bench and walked with him to a path looping through the park and downtown.

As their hands connected, sparks seemed to fly between their palms, kind of like the Bella/Edward sparks. As they both noticed this, Sharpay dropped her hand quickly and blushed deeply. Troy wished she hadn't let go.

His somewhat abridged life story was still quite long, and when he finally stopped jabbering, the sky was a midnight blue.

"Oh, it's getting dark, I better go…" Sharpay said and turning around on the path they had taken back to her hotel room. She felt a hand on her arm again and she felt the tingles go up her arm.

"Let me walk you there," Troy said, smiling.

"I think I know the way," she said somewhat playfully.

"Then for my own protection. My aunt and uncle's house isn't far from the hotel."

Sharpay rolled her eyes and smiled. She said, "All right, okay."

They set on down the now empty path in comfortable silence, barely able to see in front of them. Sometimes when their hands got very close to each other, they both felt the sparks flying in the small space between them, like a radar of sorts.

"Here it is, then," Troy said a few minutes later. He was standing in front of the hotel, which was still bustling, many of the windows still radiating light.

"Thanks," she said, smiling.

"No problem. See you tomorrow?" he asked casually, but he craved the answer.

"Maybe," she said mysteriously. She turned, her shiny blonde hair glittering in the moonlight, and opened the main doors, waving goodbye to Troy.

Sharpay carefully turned the shower nozzle and stepped inside, lathering her hair with the hotel shampoo, which smelled like mangos. She had always been a shower singer, and not a bad one. So she started to sing from the heart…

_Close my eyes  
I try to hide  
I'm listening to my voice inside  
What's on to tell me right or wrong  
I need to know where I belong  
For all the days I ran away  
I never dare to ask me who could I be  
Who can bring back the love that's inside me_

_Could it be you  
Or do I lose my way  
I'm here but colorblind  
Could It be you  
Or do I break away  
So leave the past behind  
I only wanna feel the sunlight stop the fight and see it in your eyes  
Wish I just knew what I should do  
Could it be you  
Somebody tell me if it's true I don't have a clue  
Could it be you_

_Too many things said and done  
Sure if you could be the one  
To dry the tears I left behind  
To chase these demons off my mind_

_I see your face  
Touch your skin  
Is this a fight  
We both can't win  
Sometimes the truth is miles apart  
But it's hard to break your heart_

_Could it be you  
Or do I lose my way  
I'm here but colorblind  
Could It be you  
Or do I break away  
So leave the past behind  
I only wanna feel the sunlight stop the fight and see it in your eyes  
Wish I just knew what I should do  
Could it be you  
Somebody tell me if it's true I don't have a clue  
Could it be you_

_Baby I don't wanna waste your love  
Though it's hard to just walk on  
Well will this hurt be never ending  
Where do I belong_

_Could it be you  
Or do I lose my way  
I'm here but colorblind  
Could it be you  
Or do I break away  
Just to leave the past behind  
I only wanna feel the sunlight stop the fight and see it in your eyes  
Wish I just knew what I should do  
Could it be you  
Somebody tell me if it's true I don't have a clue  
Could it be you_

_Maybe it is me  
that's so blind to see that its you  
For everything I am everything I need lies in you_

**Author's Note:** The song is Could It Be You by Cascada. Please review and ideas are always welcomed.


	5. Chapter 5: All You Need Is Love

**Author's Note:** Hey, I'm back with this! Sorry for the delay, but I didn't have any ideas. Thanks to –I.Pancake.In.The.Crisco- for the idea. Review!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Relocation**

**Chapter 5: All You Need Is Love**

**By music is happiness and –I.Pancake.In.The.Crisco-**

_Last Chapter…_

"No problem. See you tomorrow?" he asked casually, but he craved the answer.

"Maybe," she said mysteriously. She turned, her shiny blonde hair glittering in the moonlight, and opened the main doors, waving goodbye to Troy.

Sharpay carefully turned the shower nozzle and stepped inside, lathering her hair with the hotel shampoo, which smelled like mangos. She had always been a shower singer, and not a bad one. So she started to sing from the heart…

COULD IT BE YOU LYRICS

--

Sharpay was halfway finished reading an article on the MTV VMA's when her door knocked. She ignored it, not wanting to see people when her eyes were red and her face looked like a puffy tomato. Despite Troy's efforts the night before, she had still cried herself to sleep last night.

The door knocked again. Sharpay got up groggily and walked to the door, thinking it was a hotel worker.

When she saw who it was, she immediately closed the door, but his hand prevented it from locking.

"Hi, Sharpay," he said simply, his hand still on the door.

"Go away," she mumbled.

"Why?"

"I'm ugly right now and I don't want to see people."

"Sharpay, you're not ugly, you're beautiful."

An awkward silence followed. After a few moments, Sharpay opened the door unwillingly, looking at the carpet.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Since you don't feel like going out alone, I was wondering if you would want to go out with me." After seeing Sharpay's shell-shocked expression and realizing what he just said, he quickly added, "You know, just something fun. You need to get out, you're in Mexico!" He delivered the last sentence like an overly peppy travel agent, and Sharpay couldn't help but laugh. She tried to disguise it as a cough, but Troy knew better.

"So, go with me?" he asked, smiling.

"Just let me make myself a bit less hideous, okay?" She was smiling now, and looked more beautiful than before.

"Where are we going anyway?" Sharpay laughed. She was looking less miserable, but her eyes still looked a bit puffy.

"You'll see," he said, grinning.

The sun beat down on them as they walked to wherever they were going. They saw several young couples walking around town too. It made Sharpay happy and sad at the same time. She resorted to looking at her feet. Maybe it was just the summer air around them, but Sharpay thought Troy inched closer to her.

"We're here," he finally said after ten minutes of walking. Sharpay sniffed the air. It wasn't something she usually did, but the air now had a distinctive smell to it. Something like hay and freshly cleaned leather…

A look of dawning comprehension spread across her face and she looked at Troy, who read her expression and nodded sheepishly. She smacked him on the arm, faking anger but grinning like an idiot.

"How did you know I love horseback-riding?!" she asked.

"You told me last night, remember?"

Sharpay paused for a second, thinking. "I guess I did." She grinned again.

They approached the counter and a bored worker checked Troy's name off a list next to him. He had obviously planned ahead. He pointed to a small rack of helmets, all in varying states of shabbiness. Sharpay selected one that fit and plopped it on her head and tightened her strap.

"You have _got _to be kidding me," Sharpay said, looking at the horse in front of her. Its legs were halfway to her shoulders. When they were shoulder to shoulder, he was at least four and a half heads taller than her.

"You're not scared are you?" Troy asked, a teasing glint in his voice.

Sharpay scowled at him. "No, I'm just not as tall as a basketball player!"

"There's a mounting block over there," he gestured to a wooden structure a few feet away that couldn't possibly be able to get Sharpay on her horse's broad back. She scowled playfully at Troy and led her horse to the block.

Surprisingly, she was able to swing her leg over the horse's back and settle into the well-worn stirrups in one try.

"Why do you look so surprised? I thought you were an expert at this!" Troy questioned.

"I've only been on a horse a few times, to be honest," she muttered, occupied with running a hand through her horse's black mane, loosening the tangles slowly.

"Well, I'm right here to catch you if you fall off," he grinned.

"Oh, I'm _sure _you can catch me one-handed while still riding," she said sarcastically.

He paused for a moment. "Regardless, I'll still catch you."

"You have _got _to be kidding me," Sharpay repeated, looking at the terrain: seemingly flimsy sand.

"What's so bad about riding horses on sand?"

Sharpay looked at him like he was crazy. "Sand, and beach sand in particular, is very slippery under a horse's hooves."

"This isn't sand, Sharpay."

Sharpay furrowed her eyebrows together. "What d'you mean?"

"This is really the arena sand that they put in riding arenas, but they just bleach it sand colored so it looks scenic." He grinned.

"Oh. Okay." Sharpay still looked slightly confused. Troy's grin widened.

"We're going in the _ocean?!_" Sharpay shrieked, looking warily at the approaching waves, some reaching as far as her knees.

"It wouldn't be a beach ride without it, right?"

Sharpay scowled at him, but followed.

With the lower half of her jeans completely drenched in ocean water, the legs of her steed even darker ebony. She patted him on the shoulder, and he raised his head high, showering her with little water droplets. She laughed and suddenly had a burst of recklessness.

She dug her heels into her horse's side and clicked her tongue, slightly raising herself in the saddle and smiling. Her horse, which she had learned was called Franco, increased to an easy gallop. Sharpay's blonde hair flew out of her face and the warm summer air swept over her face. It smelled like sand and water and felt warm against her tired face. She gave Franco more rein and his stride lengthened.

She could hear his hooves beating almost soundlessly against the fake sand and for the first time since she arrived at Riviera Maya, she felt at ease, happy and content.

"Can I meet your cousins?" Sharpay asked. They were on the Main Street boardwalk, just walking around, enjoying the calmness of the almost-empty streets and the approaching sunset.

"You don't mind little kids, right? 'Cause most of them are pretty little…" he began warningly.

"I _adore _little kids," she said truthfully.

He grinned. "Then, I think you'll like them."

"Can you pass the mashed potatoes, Genevieve?" Troy's Aunt Rachel asked her oldest niece, who was eight.

"'Kay," she said, passing the bowl to her. It shook and a few plops of spuds fell onto the tablecloth, causing a disapproving glance from Rachel.

A handful of peas flew across the table, aimed at Ryland, another cousin of Troy's, but the green blob landed in Sharpay's golden hair instead.

While Rachel scolded Ryland on throwing food at the table, Sharpay slowly raised her hand to pat her hair, feeling the glob, an unreadable and guarded expression creeping onto her face.

Troy looked at her, a million apologies at his tongue, but her face exploded into a huge grin and she laughed a real laugh, her hand still on the peas in her locks.

"It's fine, Troy, Rachel," she addressed Troy's estranged aunt, who smiled at her appreciatively, "But where's the bathroom so I can wash it off?"

"I'll take you there, Sharpay. It's a huge house; even I get lost," he grinned at her, and then wished he hadn't; everyone at the table was watching them with hopeful glints in their eyes. He quickly led Sharpay upstairs, not looking at anyone.

When they were in front of the door, he turned to her and half-whispered, so the obviously snooping adults wouldn't hear them, "Thanks for that back there. My cousins are usually a little better behaved when there aren't any guests. Kind of like dogs, they get excited around new people." He grinned in spite of himself. Sharpay mirrored him.

"It's no problem, same thing with my cousins at our huge Evans Christmas Dinner."

They were silent for several moments before Troy realized that Sharpay's hair wasn't pea-free yet. "Well, you should, you know, get the vegetables out of your hair." He gestured to her head for guidance.

She seemed to have forgotten about it too. "Yeah, I should. Be out in a sec."

She closed the door and he could hear the faucet running. He leaned up against a wall and closed his eyes, thinking of ways to express his feelings to her. He paced the dark hallway, running through options in his head. _Sharpay, I like you…_no, he liked her a lot more than that…_Sharpay, I love you…_yes, that would work, but it needed more…_Why _didn't he pay attention when Mrs. Lloyd was talking about love poetry in February? He could really use some good metaphors and similes right now…

He was trying to remember some from various homework assignments when the bathroom door swung open and revealed Sharpay, her hair free of green and very damp.

"Ready?" she looked at Troy strangely. He realized that his fingers were at his temples, trying to come up with something romantic to say. He dropped them, feeling mortified.

"Ah, you're back!" Uncle Orville said, looking at the pair coming down the stairs. All table chatter ceased in a way that highly suggested that they had just been talking about Troy and Sharpay.

They sat down and the various conversations continued, with the occasional eye floating to Troy and Sharpay, who were sitting next to each other incidentally.

"So, Sharpay," Aunt Rachel prompted her a few minutes later, "tell us about yourself!"

She looked at Troy, a hint of nervousness crossing her face. He nodded her on. She faced his relatives with a smile on her face. "Well, I go to East High in Albuquerque and I'm going to be a senior there. I just _love _theatre, it's a lot of fun."

"Do you know what college you're going to yet?" she interrogated.

"Julliard," she said, taking a sip of her water.

"Well, _that's _a coincidence! Troy got an acceptance letter from Julliard too!" She glanced at Troy, who looked even more embarrassed. Why was his aunt trying to pair him and Sharpay together? Of course he wanted to be with Sharpay, but not with interference.

The warm summer air hit their faces as they walked out of the large house. A chorus of various forms of 'goodbye' emitted from the house. Troy and Sharpay started to walk the familiar path to Sharpay's hotel.

"Did you like them?" He sounded nervous, like the answer would determine something important.

"Are you kidding? I _loved _them!" She squealed. Troy grinned and sighed in relief.

"Why were you so worried all the time?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, just introducing a new person to the family is stressing." Lie. A total and complete lie. He knew right from the moment that Sharpay walked through the door that his aunt, uncle, and little cousins would adore her, no hassle.

"Yeah, that's understandable," she murmered.

The path was almost empty, except for a few young couples strolling for a walk at twilight. The sight of them made him want to grasp hold of Sharpay's hand and never, ever let go, but he refrained.

The speakers outside the hotel, which played music around the clock, was playing "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles. The music made everything even more uncomfortable for them both, but mostly Troy.

"See you later?" Sharpay asked, looking into his eyes.

"Yeah," he smiled and unconsciously reached out and hugged her. It was an awkward hug, but Sharpay went along with it. They broke apart quickly and Sharpay, blushing wildly, mumbled, "See you," and stepped inside the hotel radiating life's message.

_All you need is love, love…_

**Author's Note:** If any of you have a subscription to the teen writing magazine Teen Ink, keep a lookout for me-I might just be in there! Well, please review and check out –I.Pancake.In.The.Crisco-. Review!


	6. Chapter 6: Honest To Drunk I'm Not God

Yes, it's been months since I've done anything with fanfiction writing, and I've probably lost all my readers, but I thought I'd give this another shot. Please review.

**Relocation**

**Chapter 6: Honest to Drunk I'm Not God**

**By music is happiness**

_Recap…_

"See you later?" Sharpay asked, looking into his eyes.

"Yeah," he smiled and unconsciously reached out and hugged her. It was an awkward hug, but Sharpay went along with it. They broke apart quickly and Sharpay, blushing wildly, mumbled, "See you," and stepped inside the hotel radiating life's message.

_All you need is love, love…_

_-----------------------------------------_

It seemed as though Troy was finally making some mark on Sharpay's outlook on life, however miniscule. Instead of moping around, she thought as she was sitting on her suite's veranda looking out at the harvest moon feeding the night its white rays, she contemplated something new.

_Everyone's got to have a bad breakup sometime, how else would we find the one we're supposed to be with? This will all get better in time._

Her spirits were starting to lift more as she gazed at the moon, its lunar energy soaking into her skin. It was oddly calming. She couldn't remember the last time she felt totally relaxed like this. She glanced down beyond the railing and saw smooth, black waves, teasing the sands in an endless game of one-sided tag. Sharpay had the odd desire to jump down and dip her feet into the waters. It probably felt warm.

The jingle of the phone ringing jostled her from her escape. Slightly perplexed as to who would call her at this time, she hesitated briefly, but then decided to pick it up. Maybe it was something important.

"Hello?"

"Sharpay, is that you?"

Sharpay's whole life, her whole vacation, everything came to a standstill when she heard that voice. The voice she used to adore, but now was trying to forgot. Chad.

She was silent, still digesting this new event. Questions popped into her mind rapidly. How had he found her hotel phone number?

"Baby?" He was talking extra loud and there was loud music thumping in the background.

A dark shadow fell over her face at the word. "Do not," she hissed, "call me 'baby.'"

He ignored her. "Baby, take me back. I miss you." Sharpay realized horribly that he was drunk, maybe even wasted. She clammed up all over and froze, the warm Mexico air mingling with the cool air conditioned air from the room from the open balcony door.

"Chad, you're drunk. You don't know what you're saying." Her voice wavered, giving away her anxiety. And when everything had started to be looking up….

"Gabi, honest to drunk I'm not God."

"Chad, you called me Gabriella. You're obviously wasted. Goodbye." She was about to take the phone off her ear when Chad stopped her.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I love you." He sounded so sincere, Sharpay would have believed him if she didn't know.

"You're not sorry, Chad." And she hung up, the dial tone the only sound in the room besides breathing.

It had been extremely hard, almost impossible to reject Chad again. But she had done it.

She needed someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn't judge her and who would listen.

She needed to call Troy, however much a part of her didn't want to.

Scrolling through her Contacts list of one, not including the hotel numbers, she held the chunky phone up to her ear and listened to it ring. He picked up on the second buzz.

"Hello?"

"Troy?" _Great, I sound like I'm crying_.

"Sharpay? What's wrong?"

"Can I come over?" She sniffed and hugged her legs.

He said sure.

"Sorry for being such a nutcase," she mumbled, embarrassed by her behavior.

"It's ok, I'm used to it." He chuckled slightly, a low laugh. Sharpay liked the sound of it.

Even she couldn't hold back a small giggle. "I'll be there soon."

After she hung up, a thought struck her.

Was it her being upset about Chad's call that prompted her to call Troy? Or was it just the desire to see Troy again?

----------------

It was short, I know. I'm still getting used to writing for FF again. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7: Helpless

**Relocation**

**Chapter 7: Helpless**

**By music is happiness**

Please review. Ideas are always welcome!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

_Last Chapter…_

"It's ok, I'm used to it." He chuckled slightly, a low laugh. Sharpay liked the sound of it.

Even she couldn't hold back a small giggle. "I'll be there soon."

After she hung up, a thought struck her. Was it her being upset about Chad's call that prompted her to call Troy? Or was it just the desire to see Troy again?

----------------

The streets were almost completely empty as she walked to Troy's house. A rare cold wind tickled her hair and she wrapped the blanket that, in her haste to get to his house, had forgotten to take off. The soft polyester was comforting to her, when she felt like she was tearing apart.

"Good evening, Miss," a man said to her as he passed. Tipping his hat to her, he grinned good-naturally, demonstrating a set of mildly crooked teeth. He seemed like a pleasant sort of person. Half-smiling at him, she said "Good evening" back and they went their separate ways. _Once again, nothing nice can stay, _she thought glumly to herself. Dropping her gaze, she kept her eyes on her feet. One foot after the other, just keep walking….

"Hey there, sweet thang," a low voice says, words slightly slurred. Sharpay felt a arm sling around her shoulders. Staggered, she turned her head to face the stranger, frazzled hair whipping her face.

The intruder to her walk was a man, maybe twenty or twenty-one. He was at least a foot taller than her and had dark, sharp features and long shaggy hair. His eyes chilled her to the bone, though, above everything else. They were bright, almost neon green, and were only fixed on her. The hand that wasn't on her was fixed on the neck of a bottle of whiskey. His breath reeked of alcohol and he leaned mostly on her. Her knees were straining under the extra burden.

She was too frightened to say anything.

"Whatcha doin' out 'ere all 'lone on a night like this'n?" She could barely distinguish one word from the other.

Using all her strength, she shook the guy off her and started to run away, but he caught her roughly by her golden locks and dragged her backward. Her loose shoes caught on a stone and slipped off. Her bare feet contacted with the still hot gravel from the sweltering day.

"I said," he growled, pulling her up until their faces were only a few inches apart. He suddenly went from casual to furious in a heartbeat. A heartbeat that might be her last, "_what are you doing out here?_"

"N-n-nothing…" she whispered, eyes wide as dinner plates. She didn't dare try and squirm, not wanting a broken neck.

Three other gang members crowded around him. All three were obviously wasted.

Turning his piercing gaze away from hers for a brief moment, he nodded to the other men and they grabbed Sharpay's legs before she could move them away. One person's hand closed over her mouth so she couldn't scream for help. She was utterly helpless. And no one could save her.

----------------

Haha, cliffhanger! Please review and tell your FF friends to check this story out. Thanks! The next chapter will be longer, I promise. :) 3


	8. Chapter 8: Secret Agent Man

**Relocation**

**Chapter 8: Secret Agent Man**

**By music is happiness**

Please review and tell your FF friends about this story, if it's not too much trouble. Enjoy!

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_Last Chapter…_

Three other gang members crowded around him. All three were obviously wasted.

Turning his piercing gaze away from hers for a brief moment, he nodded to the other men and they grabbed Sharpay's legs before she could move them away. One person's hand closed over her mouth so she couldn't scream for help. She was utterly helpless. And no one could save her.

---------------

"Stop right there," a masculine voice called from behind me. He was entirely calm. I wanted to turn around and see whom my rescuer was, but one of the gang had a firm grip around my neck.

"Who're you?" the gang leader said, swaying.

"James Mackey. But that doesn't matter. Let her go."

"Why should we?" one member growled, but he sounded a bit frightened. What had 'James' done?

"She's not yours," another one added.

"She's obviously not yours either. Look at how terrified she is!" His English accent came through strongly.

"Maybe she's faking it. She looks like an actress."

"Like the one's on the TV," another added vaguely.

"You all are acting moronic. Now let her go, or face punishment."

His voice is quite easy to get an expression for, I think. He sounds like he's smirking right now. If I could only see….I moved slightly and the grip on my neck tightened. I gasped. But this could not be the way Sharpay Charlotte Natasha Evans will meet her end. I won't let it. Forcing my legs back, I jerked my head forward, aiming to break the grip they had on me. The guy who had the grip on my neck brought me back.

And then several things happened at once.

First, the man who called himself James ran toward the gang and I. Then, the gang that restrained me dropped me and I fell flat on my face, the blanket falling on my back. One of the gang member's heavy shoes landed on my head and jostled it. Combined with the sudden and painful drop, it knocked me out. After that, everything went black.

An ice-cold splash of water startled me into consciousness and I jerked up and looked around, looking for the gang members. But all I saw were alley walls, littered with graffiti.

Someone was holding me up. Moving my head, I locked eyes with the man I saw on my walk to Troy's cousin's house. My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. What was he doing here?

"Hi. I'm James. James Mackey." He smiled good-naturally, the same one he shot at me in the road.

The man who saved me.

I was too surprised to say anything, so I just nodded.

"They didn't hurt you too bad, just some bruises. And some emotional scarring, of course."

He had a calm, almost nonchalant approach to the situation. It helped calm my nerves.

"Why did you come?" I blurted out. Sticking my foot in my mouth, I added, "Not that I didn't want you to…"

He shrugged, looking at a piece of litter on the ground, advertising a tanning clinic. _Weird, why they would have that in a Mexico summer_, Sharpay thought, trying to get her mind off things.

"I heard a scuffle about where I left you. And a girl like you would probably attract attention from the night gangs around here." He smirked. "I'm quite familiar with them, not those particular ones, but the general type. They cause quite a lot of trouble." He frowned, and he suddenly looked older.

"Have you lived here a long time? Or is there another reason you're so familiar with the gangs…?" _I should just stop talking_. I bit my lip and my face burned up.

He reached into his pants pocket and brought out a police badge. He presented it to me and I took it gingerly, like it was red-hot. I checked it. Yeah, it was authentic, all right. _So that's why those guys were so startled when he released who he was. He must have showed them this. _I turned it over in my hand and gave it back to him.

"So you're a cop?"

"Nah," he said. My eyebrows furrowed, and he clarified with, " 'Cop' sounds too general. I prefer 'secret agent man'." He grinned wolfishly. I had to laugh, despite my trauma. He didn't seem like a cop….or rather 'secret agent man'

"Were you going somewhere?" He asked politely.

Where I was supposed to be hit me abruptly. Smacking my palm to my forehead, I exclaimed, "Shoot! Yeah, I am….ouch." _I must have hit my head harder than I had thought._

"Want me to escort you and protect you from big, bad Riviera Maya citizens?" He chuckled, eyes twinkling like the small stars in the vast sky.

"Certainly," I said, laughing through my apparent prim-and-proper-ness.

"Let's go, then!" He said, warping his accent so it was comical. He stood up and offered me his hand. I took it and gave an 'oomph' as I rose up.

"I'm too old for this job," he sighed and gave his legs a lethargic shake.

"How old are you then?" I questioned, one eyebrow raised.

And so the conversation began. All the way through Riviera Maya, we talked. I found put that he was twenty-four years old, had a steady girlfriend, and liked porpoises. I had to step in here.

"Porpoises? What are those?" I cocked my head to the side. He sighed.

"They are like a dolphin, but not quite. Greatly underestimated creatures, porpoises."

After I recovered from another laugh attack, I told him, "You know, you're very easy to talk to, considering you're a cop. Usually cops intimidate you."

"Aw, now don't go generalizing us agents. The ones who intimidate don't catch as many bad guys as I do." He did a karate chop move and he had me in a fit of giggles again.

"It's a fact." He shrugged. "I guess I'm just a easy guy to talk to, I guess. Some people think I should be a therapist." He made a face. I bit down on my tongue to keep from laughing again. "I guess my real passion is fighting small town crime."

A few more minutes passed in comfortable silence until we arrived at Troy's house.

"Well, this is my stop." I was a bit sad to bid him farewell.

'I'll walk you to the door. Don't want you to get snatched this close to your destination." He grinned and turned onto the walkway. Wrapping my blanket more snugly around me, I followed.

The doorbell rang two times, and then it opened with a slight creak. A gust of cool air hit me as Troy answered the door. He looked from me to James and back to me again. His expression demanded an explanation. I opened my mouth, but he went into an explanation of the night's events. That was probably best anyway.

"Hello, I'm Officer Mackey. Ms. Sharpay was on her way over here, I believe." He looked to me for confirmation. I quickly nodded, looking nervously at Troy. He was leaned against the door, confused.

"And she encountered some of Riviera Maya's gangs, and they gave her some trouble, but I got her out of it fairly easily. She's not hurt too badly, just a few bruises and a wound on her neck," he added quickly upon seeing Troy's expression, "nothing too serious, though." I brought her over here so she'll be safe the rest of the night." He looked solemn during this entire speech, the complete opposite of the James Mackey I had seen on the walk.

"Don't worry, Officer, I'll keep her safe." He nodded once to James, said thank you, took my hand, pulled me into the house, and shut the door behind him.

"What did you want to talk about?"

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Hehe, another cliffy. Evil is my middle name, can't you tell? Please review and spread the word.


	9. Chapter 9: Dancing in the Rain

**Relocation**

**Chapter 9: What's Life Without Dancing in the Rain?**

**By music is happiness**

Please review and spread the word! I hope you like this chapter. It was quite fun to write. **Review!**

**-------------------------**

_Last Chapter…_

"Don't worry, Officer, I'll keep her safe." He nodded once to James, said thank you, took my hand, pulled me into the house, and shut the door behind him.

"What did you want to talk about?"

-----------------------

How much trouble could one girl get into in a small town?

Apparently, a lot. At least for Sharpay Evans.

She crossed her arms and looked down at the floor. She looked terrified all of a sudden. I suppressed my sigh. This was going to be difficult.

"What happened?" I asked this as calmly as I could. She didn't show any sign that she had heard me.

Unsticking myself from the wall, I walked over to her. Lifting up her chin with my index finger, I made her look me in the eye.

"What happened?" I repeated, more gentle this time.

She took a deep breath and finally started talking. "Can we talk about this outside?"

I was caught off guard by her question, but agreed. She opened the door and we stepped outside. It was still a bit chilly.

"I was walking to your house…well, it's more like your cousin's house…" She glanced up at me, obviously wanting to stop talking. I coaxed her on with my eyes. We started walking to the park we had been before, by her hotel.

"And this guy comes up to me and he starts talking to me, and it's obvious that he's drunk. And then he slung my arm around my shoulder…."

I took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. I didn't want to scare Sharpay any more than she already was.

I nodded, eyes guarded.

"And then he started g-getting mad at me, and some of his other gang member walked over and they picked me up and carried me over to this alley…"

It was getting harder and harder to keep my temper. I turned my back and walked a bit off the path, among some plants, taking several deep breaths and closing my eyes. I

"What's the matter?" she asked, sounding frightened.

"Nothing….go on with your story." I said, my voice sounding dead.

She nodded, though I think she didn't believe me. "Then Officer Mackey came along and made them go away. He walked me home and now we're here."

"Those…..those…" I couldn't think of a word foul enough to describe the people who had harassed Sharpay. I was still thinking when Sharpay caught me off. Turning to her, I saw she was quietly sobbing. Without thinking, I went to her and wrapped my arms around her, holding her close and comforting her.

"Shhh….shhhh, it's ok," I said, trying to soothe her, but she only cried harder.

"It's j-just…I thought I w-w-ouldn't make it out-t of t-there…" She was sobbing so much it was hard to make out what she was saying. I rubbed her back slowly and repeated my words.

By now we were pretty far into town, almost by the downtown area. The bright lights cast an orange glow over everything. There were maybe half a dozen people outside, but they took no notice of us. Still holding her, I continued walking.

After she had calmed down a bit, Sharpay asked me, "Have you ever fallen in love before?"

I was about to say, "Not before now," but thought it wouldn't be the best thing to say at the time. I shrugged. "What does love mean anyway?"

She thought a minute before answering. "Love means….wanting to be around someone, and them wanting to be around you too. And feeling all bubbly when you see the person, if you're like me. Or wanting to see them, but not admitting it to yourself because you want to keep your heart safe." Realizing she had probably said too much, she bit her lip and crossed her thin arms.

I nodded and kept on walking. We were in silence for several minutes before I prompted her with, "Why did you call me anyway?"

"Oh, that," she almost laughed, "Chad called me and wanted to get back together. I told him no and felt kind of shook up, so I called you." It seemed so long ago that he called.

"Do you feel any better about that now?" I asked.

She cracked a tiny smile. "Yeah. It seems so insignificant now, after what-what happened." Her face fell a little bit.

By now we were by another large park, and it was completely empty. It was getting pretty late to be out, I suppose. Sharpay looked up to the heavens, seeing the dark catch of clouds that were gathering.

"Looks like it's going to storm," she said quietly. I grinned. Talking about the weather.

"You like rain?" This conversation isn't going much of anywhere.

"Oh, very much. It's very romantic. And calming. I sometimes sit on my porch during a rainstorm and sit and think. Maybe that's why my life is such a mess; it barely rains in Albuquerque."  
"You got that right," I agreed. Silence again.

"What are your morals?" she asked, bringing her gaze down from the sky to me.

I was caught off guard by the odd question. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"Like, what you believe in. Global warming and abortion and stuff like that, I guess." She hadn't taken her eyes off me.

I thought a minute. No one had ever asked me something like that before. "Pro-choice…it should be stopped, of course," I laughed, "and…no sex before marriage, I suppose." I shrugged. There wasn't much to say. "And I'm clean," I added.

"What do you live by?" she questioned.

"Like, a motto?"

She nodded.

" 'Live in the Moment'" I probably sound like an idiot. "What about you?"

"Clean, sex after marriage or at least after a while of dating," she shrugged and continued, "and I live by '_viva la vida_'. Like, the Coldplay song. 'Live the Life'."

I nodded. I felt us falling into a black hole of conversations.

A devilish grin spread across her face and she said "C'mon. Let's walk through the park."

Before I could say anything, she had a hold of my hand and was pulling me up. I followed her, a bit surprised at her sudden mood change.

"Isn't Mexico so beautiful?" Sharpay said, looking around at the park.

"Yeah, it's really pretty," I said, distracted not by the scenery's splendor, but by Sharpay's. Without thinking about it, I had fallen in love with Sharpay Evans in just a few days. It hadn't required much, like the other time he had fallen in love, back in his early days at Jasper High, with his old girlfriend, Lia Ashburn. It was….strange this time around. It felt natural.

"Troy…Earth to Troy?" Snapping back to reality, I realized that Sharpay was standing in front of me, looking confused.

"Yeah?" I replied, still sounding dazed.

"Just checking that you're still aware." She laughed. I loved the sound.

"Still here," I grinned.

"So how are things at your place?" she asked, putting her hands in her pockets.

"Eh….same old, same old. I've gotten more globs of food stuck in my hair than should be possible."

"I bet it's a good look on you." A hint of a laugh was detectable in her voice.

"Oh, yes. Mashed potatoes are the new black."

Sharpay giggled and had to cover her mouth with one hand to stifle them.

The clouds were getting thicker and thicker and more and more were accumulating. A fat rain droplet fell and hit Sharpay's nose. Looking up, a dozen more hit her face and a deep rumble of thunder echoed. It didn't sound too far away.

"Should we get out of the rain?" I asked, looking at her.

"No, let's stay. Being outside in storms is fun."

I cocked one of my eyebrows. In an open field with a storm coming? She must be crazy.

She must have noticed my hesitation, because she grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the middle of the field. The rain was starting to come down harder now, drenching my hair and shoulders.

"Can you dance?"

"I can, but I don't"

"Well, it's never too late to get started!" She had to yell this over the loud clap of thunder that had just shook us.

She took the lead. She placed my hand on her back and her hand on my shoulder. We started waltzing around the field, occasionally almost nose-diving for the ground because of the moist ground. I gradually gained confidence, and even spun her around a few times. The rain persisted, and soon we were both soaked to the skin.

I never thought I'd seen a more beautiful person than when I saw Sharpay in the field, sopping wet and glowing with happiness.

"We must look like idiots," I said sheepishly, glancing around, but of course no one else would be out in this weather other than two wild teens.

She shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. And anyway, what's life without dancing in the rain?" She smirked and continued to dance.

A few minutes passed in silence. I silently debated with myself whether to tell Sharpay how I felt. Taking a deep breath, I made my decision.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, scrunching her eyebrows together.

"Sharpay, I need to tell you something." I said, my skin going clammy.

"Ok, shoot." She spun around once. My limbs felt like jelly as I spun her.

"I…I love you." I bit my lip, thinking I had said it wrong. But how many ways _can _you say it?

Her brown eyes widened and she suddenly looked like a frightened puppy lost in the rain. The dancing slowed until it was at a complete standstill. She still held us in the dancing position.

"W-what?" was all she could get out. She sounded as if she'd just been punched.

"I love you. I've loved you since the first time I saw you, if you can believe it. Every day, it's been getting bigger and bigger. It's hurt me so much to see you sad." I said all this very fast, but straight at her eyes.

I felt like I had said too much. I opened my mouth to apologize, but she put one finger over my lips to silence me. She still looked shocked. After a few seconds, she let her finger drop. Never taking her eyes off me, she stepped backward. I couldn't stop her; it felt like my limbs had frozen together.

Eventually, she turned around and started to run away. My brain started working very fast. Either I could let her go and regret it for the rest of my life, or I could stop her. I chose the latter.

"Sharpay! Sharpay…wait!" My legs thawed and I started running after her. She ran faster, but I finally caught up to her. Stopping her with a hand on her shoulder, I spun her around and discovered tear tracks mixing in with the rainwater lines down her visage.

"What's wrong?" I wiped away one of her tears with my finger. She looked down, looking like she was going to cry again. Another thing I've done wrong today.

"It's just…it's just…" She said these words to the ground, but she'd finally looked up as she said the last words. Her eyes looked harder now, defiant, "I love you too."

This threw me for a loop. I backed away a few steps, completely baffled. I hadn't expected her to return the feeling.

_Maybe this isn't real, _I told myself, turning my back to Sharpay and walking, _maybe I don't really love her. Maybe this is a dream_. It seemed like a silly thing to tell myself, but I let it consume my mind. I walked faster and faster, but didn't get to a run before I heard frantic footsteps behind me.

I barely had time to turn around before I saw Sharpay. Looking sad for some reason, she leaped on me, wrapped her legs around my waist and her arms around my shoulders and neck, and kissed me. It was a passionate kiss, but it also felt like she was crying. She hugged my neck and entwined her fingers in my hair. Her tongue beseeched me for entrance, and I gladly accepted. I held her close to me and kissed her right there. I ran my fingers through her soaking hair and pulled her closer to me.

It was a perfect moment, one that I would remember for the rest of my life.

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Well, that's your big reward for waiting so long! **Please review! **It means a lot to me; I love reading them. And please spread the word!


	10. Chapter 10: Please Help!

**-To all of my readers-**

First of all, **thanks so much for all the reviews you've given me.** I love reading them.

But I'm stuck on what to write next in Relocation. Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks so much again. Please leave ideas in a review or a PM, I don't care which.

**Happy writing!**

**xxx music is happiness**


	11. Chapter 10: Troy's Angel Saves The World

**Relocation**

**Chapter 10: Troy's Angel Saves the World**

**By music is happiness**

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update, I was stuck. But when I started writing, I got so many ideas. That seems to happen a lot. :D I hope you enjoy the chapter and **please review!**

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_Last Chapter…_

She hugged my neck and entwined her fingers in my hair. Her tongue beseeched me for entrance, and I gladly accepted. I held her close to me and kissed her right there. I ran my fingers through her soaking hair and pulled her closer to me. It was a perfect moment, one that I would remember for the rest of my life.

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It was a week later. The sweltering Mexican sun beat down with the same energy as it always had. Life went on. A tourist even fell into the ocean after losing their footing on the dock. Now the Rivera Maya Safety Commission had installed thick ropes by the docks to ensure no more accidents would happen.

Or so they thought.

"I bet you someone is still going to fall in." Troy said, leaning over a pole and staring into the cerulean, clear waters. He side-glanced at her, daring her to fall in.

"I bet you twenty bucks someone will fall in." She grinned, leaning against a thick wooden pole, that the rope went through.

"You're on. What shall we seal it with?" He moved in closer. Sharpay found it harder and harder to breathe.

"I have an idea." She grinned crookedly and filled in what little space was left between them. She got a little too into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Troy. He leaned forward, which disrupted the careful balance that was keeping her on her feet. With one more degree of a lean, Sharpay toppled over the edge of the dock, taking Troy with her. A great splash met the landing. Troy, who was dragged down by his clothes, found his way to the surface fairly quickly. Gasping for breath, he looked around him, treading water and trying to scour out Sharpay.

She was nowhere to be found. Which could only mean one thing…His eyes bugged out as he dove below the surface again. It couldn't have happened….

As he could not see underwater, he had to grope blindly in the depths to find her. After a few seconds, he finally found her. The distance downward wasn't too bad, but it was deadly regardless. She seemed to be on the seabed and limp. His panic increased as he grabbed her limp frame. It took him longer than before to break the surface, with the new weight he was lugging. The first person oxygen greeted was Sharpay, closely followed by Troy. Being out of the water didn't seem to help her much. Supporting her with his hands, he swam rapidly the few feet to the dock's foot holes back to the planks. Every second counted.

He set her on the dock and kneeled beside her. He frantically took both her shoulders and shook them, hoping to revive her. She only lolled around on the wood, hair surrounding her face like an angel.

Troy's angel.

"Sharpay, are you there?" He repeated those words over and over as he shook her more. He felt tears come to his eyes. He bit his lip to keep them down. Then an idea struck him. He thought himself an idiot for not thinking of it initially. He brought his lips to her and blew air into her. He did this over and over, hoping against hope it would work. He wasn't exactly certified to perform CPR, but drastic times call for drastic measures.

In between air pumps, he whispered against her lips "Come on, work with me, please." He got more and more fearful with each passing moment.

"Sir, what's that matter?" A voice a bit away from Troy asked. He raised his head to see who the passerby was. He was tall and muscled, with thick black hair and caramel skin. His eyes looked exactly like Gabriella's. This brought back Troy a little bit. He had never known if Gabriella had a living father….He shook himself. The state of Gabriella's parents were not his concern right now. She was in his past, this was now.

He addressed the man quickly. "My girlfriend fell off the dock and isn't breathing. Or moving." It didn't seem like a very well thought-out explanation, but he was too worried to think straight.

The stranger nodded. "Want some help?" He seemed quite polite.

Troy nodded and went back to attempting to revive Sharpay. The man assisted him, checking her vitals. He reported that she had a heartbeat, but it was faint. It was some consolation to Troy. He stopped performing CPR and went to making a triangle-shaped hand formation and pumping Sharpay's stomach with it. With every pump, Sharpay's head and shoulders rose and fell. Troy was too engrossed in it that he didn't notice the small crowd around him and his helper, who must have been a medical professional. A tall, sinewy, teenage girl broke away from the pack. She looked very confused and worried.

"Troy? Is that you?"

He turned his head slightly. "Layla? What are you doing here?"

She kneeled down next to him, looking from him to Sharpay worriedly. "I was walking around town. What are _you _doing?"

"Sharpay fell off the dock and she isn't responding to anything." He pumped harder.

"Huh?" Her voice was getting more and more squeaky with every minute passing.

Troy realized that Layla hadn't been at the dinner where he had introduced Sharpay to some of his family. "She's my girlfriend."

"Do you need any help with…?" She gestured to Sharpay, who was getting paler and paler.

"I think I have it under control. Can you just keep the crowd away?" He nodded toward the growing throng. Layla didn't need to be asked twice. She turned on her heel and flailed her arms at the crowd, letting them know that they were to leave immediately.

Sharpay's heart was growing fainter and fainter and Troy tried to save her with a renewed vigor. Finally after an exceptionally powerful push, Sharpay stirred and coughed up at least a gallon of ocean water. Her eyes remained closed and she made no effort to sit up. But Troy was just happy that she was alive.

"Should I call a paramedic?" the man said. He was standing up by now, and had a hand in one of his pockets.

"What? Oh, yeah, that would be great. Thanks." He grinned up at him. "What's your name? So I can thank you properly."

"It's Peter Montez. And it's no problem." He smiled down at Troy and his grin faltered. Were there other Montezes in the world? There must be. Or this was just a freaky coincidence. Before Troy could think about this properly, Peter left just as quickly as he had come. Sharpay quickly re-grasped his attention.

"What happened?" She rubbed her eyes. She was still so pale. She still hadn't opened her lovely eyes.

"You fell off the dock and started to drown, but I saved you. I was so…so afraid that I had lost you." His voice broke on the last part. The thought of it was too much to bear.

"Oh. Am I okay?"

"I hope so. Someone called the paramedics, they should be here soon. But for now….rest." He smoothened her hair and pulled it away from her face.

Within the next five minutes, the white-clad workers came with a stretcher and scooped up Sharpay. Troy followed and no one stopped him.

However, they made him wait in the hospital waiting room while they were getting Sharpay situated. It seemed like the longest wait Troy had ever sat through. Or rather, paced through.

"Mr., please sit down. You are making the other waiting room occupants nervous." The receptionist said, cracking a wad of gum.

He stopped pacing and found himself standing in the middle of the room. With an inpatient sigh, he stopped pacing and sat down, putting his head between his hands.

"Mr…" Troy heard papers rustling, "Bolton?"

He raised his head. "Yes?"

"You can see Ms. Evans now." She pointed behind her into the well-lit hallway. He didn't need to be told again. Springing up, he half-ran toward his girlfriend's room.

"What's the matter?" Sharpay asked groggily when he rushed through the door. She was hooked up to numerous tubes and monitors. She didn't look much better here than on the dock. But then again, she had only been there a short time.

"What did the doctors say?" He knelt down beside her, as the only chair was filled with a loudly beeping monitor.

"They just said that I have to stay here until I get better. They don't like the buildup of water in my lungs, so they want to drain it out." She grimaced. It probably wouldn't be the most comfortable procedure ever, but she knew it was necessary.

"Do you want me to stay?"

She nodded and grasped Troy's hand weakly.

"I'm here, as long as you want me to stay." He kissed her forehead gently.

"Troy?" Sharpay said after a few moments.

He drew back and looked at her seriously. "Yes?"

She coughed. "Come a little closer."

He dipped her head down a few inches.

"A little closer," The whisper was hoarse.

He moved in closer.

"Closer." He could barely hear her now.

He filled in what space was left. His ear was right by her mouth now.

"Yes?" He repeated.

"I believe," she said, her lips right by his ear, "that you owe me twenty bucks."

He again jerked back. "What?" He looked confused. Sharpay chucked.

"I bet you twenty that someone would fall in. So you owe me." She grinned devilishly.

"I cannot believe," He said, half-grinning, "that after everything that has happened today, you still worry about a silly bet."

She pouted. "It wasn't silly! Those twenty dollars could save the world. But you would never know since you refuse to give them to me."

Troy kissed her nose. "I never said that." He seized his wallet from his back wallet.

He fished through the sparse green to find Andrew Jackson among the Washingtons and Lincolns. He finally located a twenty and pulled it out.

"Here you are. Go and save the world now." He took her hand and turned it upside-down so her palm was facing upward. Placing the bill in her hand, he folded her long fingers over the paper and kissed her knuckles.

She didn't say anything, just looked at him with an expression poorly disguising laughter.

"What?" he asked.

"You do know that you are _extremely _cheesy, right?"

"I'm aware of that, yes." He grinned more.

"Thanks for the money. I'll save the world, don't worry." Using her other hand, she slung it around his shoulder and pulled him closer. She attached their lips and they stayed like that for a few seconds.

"Who's the cheesy one now?" He challenged.

"Can't the cheesy live in harmony?" She inclined her head and raised her eyebrows.

"Of course they can." Troy said, kissing her forehead again.

The door opened and a nurse who must have been in her early thirties walked in, all her focus on her clipboard. She made a few marks on it and then set down her pencil. Catching sight of Troy and Sharpay, she coughed politely. They sprung apart immediately, both looking embarrassed. The nurse smiled slightly.

"Yes, Doctor?" He asked, already half out of his seat.

"Mr…..Bolton, is it?" She asked, glancing down at her board. Troy nodded. "I need to ask you to leave. I need to do the procedure to drain the water out of Ms. Evans' lungs."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his girlfriend flinch. He pinpointed her hand and squeezed it, comforting her. She squeezed back.

"Sure." With one last squeeze and a reassuring glance at Sharpay, he left. Sharpay sighed. She hadn't noticed how lonely she had been before Troy had arrived.

"Hello, Ms. Evans. I'm Nurse Sali, as in 'Sally'." She laughed a light laugh. People must mispronounce it a lot.

"Hello. You can call me Sharpay." She grinned, but it faultered.

"Ah, you're nervous? It won't take that long, though it is a bit uncomfortable. But I'll knock you out while it's happening. You'll only feel the discomfort for a few minutes while it's kicking in."

Sharpay nodded, still nervous.

Nurse Sali turned to a drawer a few feet from Sharpay's bed and retrieved the materials needed for the draining. Sharpay gulped. She had never liked the doctors. But then again, who did?

"Who was that, just now, in here?" The nurse mad a stab at conversation.

Sharpay grinned despite her agony. "My boyfriend." It felt peculiar saying it.

She grinned. "He seems nice."

"He is." Such a difference between her old escort. She frowned. She shouldn't be thinking of Chad now.

"I remember first love. It's a great feeling. Hold onto it." She closed the drawer. Sharpay's nerves returned. She could only nod at Sali's comment.

"Okay, here, take this." She handed Sharpay a long tube. No less than five seconds later, Sali took it from her and instructed her to open her mouth. She obeyed unwillingly. The nurse pushed the cylinder down Sharpay's mouth. It was obvious that she was trying to make it as comfortable as possible, but it still felt terrible, like a gag.

Sali clicked on a machine next to Sharpay and the tube started taking water from Sharpay's lungs. At least it was working. The nurse strapped on a mask on Sharpay's face to numb her. Little by little, the uncomfortable feeling slipped away until she couldn't feel anything at all.

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Well, that's my update! :) **Please review!**


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